Crua Culla Insulated Tent Review – Will this luxury thermal tent keep you warm and toasty?
Crua have added an innovative insulated tent to their range. Crua’s vision is to provide campers with a perfect wild night’s sleep. Let’s find out how they’ve done….
What we like about the Crua Culla: Luxurious cosy feel with insulation against both light and sound; Definitely made cold nights more bearable. Well made.
What we don’t like about the Crua Culla: A little bulky for backpackers; Not a budget option for sure.
Introduction
An insulated tent is something we’ve not heard of before, and the idea has really grabbed us by the short and curlies. Surely tents are always meant to be wafer thin and destined to be igloos when Winter approaches? Well maybe not….
Crua, a company from Ireland has developed a range of insulated tents to act as tent inners that will not only fit snugly inside their existing range of tents, but can also stand alone if you’re not expecting rain. We managed to get our hands on the Crua Duo ‘outer’ tent and a Crua Culla Duo inner tent to see if the hype is to be believed. With features like light and sound blocking using temperature-regulating materials, we were full of expectation as we conducted our testing in mid-November
For those who cherish the outdoors but dread the discomfort of cold nights (like me), the Crua Culla could be the answer to our prayers. This is especially important in the UK, where weather can be extremely fickle – here, an insulated tent becomes not just a convenience, but a necessity for year-round adventurers.
So was I disappointed or was it a big thumbs up? Read on to find out….
Key Takeaways of the Crua Culla
- Both the Crua Duo tent and the Crua Culla insulated tent can be purchased as stand-alone tents. But they work exceptionally well together when combined.
- The Crua Duo acts as a waterproof outer tent with a 5000mm hydrostatic head to keep you dry.
- The Crua Culla tent acts as the insulated inner tent to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
- The Crua Duo and Culla combo can also be used as a sleeping pod when attached to the Crua Core tent all acting as a modular system.
- The Crua Culla can be used inside other tents or awnings as an insulated additional layer as it can stand up using its cross airbeams for support.
Overview
Sounds amazing doesn’t it? Too good to be true? I had a list of questions of my own to answer to make sure it lived up to the mental image above. So here is a closer look at all the features and what we (my family helped out on this one) honestly thought of the Crua Culla insulated tent. Did it tick all the boxes?
So what is the Crua Culla?
The Crua Culla insulated tent is a cross-beam air tent that can stand upright independently on its own. It does not need to be inside another tent for support and only needs an outer tent to act as a protective shell to keep out the rain.
The Crua Culla is not waterproof so definitely needs the added protection of a tent, especially in the UK as most of the time there is at least some risk of rain. It can be used on a dry day when there is no moisture on the ground or in the air and the risk of rain is low but will absorb moisture if not careful.
Because the Crua Culla is free-standing it can be used inside many other tents, awnings and larger campervans. Crua however have paired it with the Crua Duo and it is made to fit inside perfectly.
Key Features
Feature Summary | |||
---|---|---|---|
🔺 | 2 person inner insulated tent | 🔺 | 2 layers of polyester |
🔺 | Temperature regulation | 🔺 | Fly screen mesh polyester |
🔺 | Noise dampening | 🔺 | Flame retardant |
🔺 | Light blocking | 🔺 | 2 internal pockets |
🔺 | Ripstop fabric | 🔺 | Central hook on roof for lamp |
🔺 | Luxury feel interior | 🔺 | Two side windows with fly mesh and blackout covers |
🔺 | 1 front and 1 side door | 🔺 | Well ventilated |
🔺 | 2 layers of polyester | 🔺 | Easy to setup |
Setting up the Crua Culla
The Crua Culla took me less than 5 minutes to set up fresh from the newly arrived box from Crua. Inside the box, the Culla was nicely packed into a tent bag which contained a tightly rolled Culla tent secured with two straps. The rolled-up Culla was inside a vacuum-sealed bag to keep out any moisture. A nice touch from Crua. Also included in the box were the instructions.
I removed the Culla rolled-up tent from the vacuum bag, released the two straps then laid out the tent. There are two valves on the Crua Culla. There is one red valve (image 6) and one white valve (image 1) that are located on either side of the door on the shorter side of the tent. The white valve is the inflation value and the red is the pressure relief valve. It took a few seconds to screw the valves into their respective holes (image 2).
The inflation of the Crua Culla air beams took less than one minute. The valve takes a standard-sized adapter (image 3) which came with the Crua pump that was purchased separately. I could have used our Kampa pump or Decathlon pump as these also had the correct valve adapter. When inflation is complete, remove the pump adapter (image 4) and screw on the square valve cap (image 5).
TIP: Don’t forget to purchase a pump if you do not already have one.
Size & Dimensions
The Crua Culla can easily fit two people and still leave room for some smaller bags and equipment. The length is 6ft 10in (209cm) and is 4ft 2in (127cm) wide. My husband is 6ft 4in and I am 5ft 8in and we fit in quite comfortably with a bit of room to spare. When using this tent with the Crua Duo there is extra space in the porch area of the Duo to store other items that can’t fit inside the Culla.
Specifications
Outer Dimensions | Inner Dimensions: | |
---|---|---|
Width: | 133 cm (4.3 ft) | 127 cm (4.1 ft) |
Length: | 210 cm (6.8 ft) | 209 cm (6.8 ft) |
Height: | 115 cm (3.7 ft) | 103 cm (3.3 ft) |
Footprint: | 2.8 Sqm (30.09 Sq ft) | 2.67 sqm (28.71 sqft) |
Size and Weight | Weight |
---|---|
Packsize: | 63.5 x 35 x 33 cm (25 x 13.7 x 13 in) |
Weight: | 7 kg (15.4 lbs) |
Material | |
---|---|
Outer Fabric: | 190T Polyester 2 layers, 400 gram synthetic insulation |
Inner Fabric: | 190T Polyester 2 layers, 400 gram synthetic insulation |
Bug Mesh: | Polyester B3 |
Airbeam Poles: | Max 7 PSI |
Colour: | Gray outside, Black inside, Air Beams Orange |
Flame Resistant: | Yes https://www.cruaoutdoors.com/pages/fire-retardant-policy |
Certification Standard: | CPAI-75 |
Box Contents | |
---|---|
Culla | x 1 |
Carry bag | x 1 |
Instruction Manual | x 1 |
A view of the Crua Culla inside the Crua Duo
Temperature Regulating
The Crua Culla has a microfiber fabric that is reinforced to stop heat transfer. This helps to keep the heat out in the summer and the heat in for the winter. The Culla uses CruaBreathe™ Technology.
The effectiveness of tent insulation lies in its ability to trap a layer of air, which acts as a thermal barrier. Insulated tents like the Crua Culla use materials that limit the exchange of heat, maintaining a comfortable temperature inside the tent.
I have to say that at first, it was pretty cold getting into the tent at night but given the fairly small space and having two people inside breathing, it quickly warmed up the space.
The zips on the Cullar are arranged so that it would be possible to add a small heat source of some sort. A small fan heater would be a great addition if you have an electric hook-up or have brought along a suitable power station.
TIP: If using a fan heater keep safety in mind and make sure it has a very stable base and that it is not touching the tent or anything else so the air can circulate as the heater requires.
Sound Dampening
The thick layered fabric will dampen the noise down quite a lot compared to practically no sound reduction in a standard tent. This noise dampening helps enable a cosy lie in bed for longer in the morning.
I think that the typical campsite noise did appear to be much further away when we used the Culla compared to when we were just sat in the Crua Duo tent without the Culla. It definitely made a difference to calm down any hubbub going on outside on a typical family campsite.
Light Blocking
The Culla has been made with light blocking in mind and with the lovely dark gunmetal grey silky fabric it is certainly dark. Unfortunately, the Culla is not completely dark inside.
There is a reason for this as the Crua Culla still requires ventilation to stop condensation from forming on the inside of the tent. There are very small slits of light that can let light in at the top of the tent by the cross airbeam.
If I were to be picky the two triangular padded sections to cover the top vents could have been made a little neater. Perhaps a separate square of quilted fabric could have been made to be attached covering the whole underside of the top cross-section but still allowing the lamp hook to dangle through.
It is still pretty good though in aiding restful sleep during daylight hours. It is the top vents that allow some light to penetrate the tent but it is not too bad and overall it is better to keep dry than worry about a very small amount of light getting in.
Ventilation
The Crua Culla has plenty of ventilation points to stop condensation from building up. There are two large triangular-shaped vents at the top of the tent by the cross airbeam. There are two windows, one at the back of the Culla and one on the side. Plus there are two sides of the Culla with zipped entrances if more ventilation is required.
Despite their proficiency in retaining heat, insulated tents like the Crua Culla are also suitable for summer camping, offering ample ventilation to prevent overheating. The tents come equipped with adjustable vents that help to circulate air, ensuring a comfortable environment even on warmer days. They provide plenty of space to relax and enjoy the summer without compromising on the coolness inside the tent.
We thought there was plenty of ventilation so a big thumbs up.
All openings on the Culla did have fly mesh/screen polyester material. The front and side entrance doors had a central zip with additional zips at the bottom to secure it into place. When not in use the fly mesh can be tied back with a toggle to allow access to the full width of the tent.
The windows at the side and rear of the tent also had mesh fabric as did the top where there are two sections by the cross beam. The windows have an insulated cover that rolls down to block the light and the drafts. The top two fly screens have some fabric that mostly covers it but not quite as the tent still requires ventilation.
Storage
The length of the Crua Culla is just enough to be able to store a few bits and pieces at the end of the bed but not an awful lot depending on how tall you are. We placed a rucksack inside the Culla at the bottom of my feet but my husband Marc is too tall so his bag went into the porch area of the Crua Duo tent.
There are some internal pockets located on the side and rear of the tent. Just big enough for a phone or Kindle or battery back etc. Last but not least there is a central hook in the middle of the roof to hold a lamp.
Fire Retardant Material
The Crua Culla is made from fire retardant material for peace of mind and there is a pressure relief valve to allow some air to be released from the air beams if is a hot day to stop any damage to the air beams.
TIP: The Culla does not come with a pump. This can be purchased separately or as we found out is compatible with a few pumps we already own (Vango & Decathlon) as it is a standard-size tent valve.
Use with other brands as an inner tent
A Crua Culla inside a Vango Cross Air awning.
We used the Crua Culla inside the Crua Duo but also tried it inside a side pod on the Vango Cross air beam awning that fit with room to spare and also allowed for a single air mattress to be placed inside the Culla. Our daughter used this one November night and loved it.
The Vango Cross Air sleeping pod was much higher and deeper than the Crua Culla insulated tent which meant that no part of the Culla touched the Vango sleeping pod. Plenty of room for the air circulate to keep the condensation at bay.
TIP: Just make sure that there is a bit of a gap between the Crua Culla and the tent or pod you are placing it in to make sure the tent fabric does not touch the Culla to avoid any moisture transfer onto the Culla from the tent.
The Crua Culla inside a campervan.
I tried the Crua Culla inside our Marco Polo campervan just to see if it would fit. It sort of did but was by no means perfect. I placed the deflated Culla tent onto the campervan bed making sure all four corners were placed into the corners of the bed and started inflating. I knew that the Culla was taller than the space allowed in the van as I had already measured the height. But I thought that the airbeams would be more flexible than they actually were even with it not fully inflated. I should point out that the pop-top roof of the van was down. The Culla would have fitted better if the pop-top roof was up and there was nobody in the bed above but of course, the canvas roof of the pop-top would let a lot more cold in so almost negates having the extra insulation.
The Crua Culla did kind of fit but was a bit wonky and made the campervan feel a bit claustrophobic if you wanted to leave this up throughout your camping trip. The left image above shows that two people can actually fit inside the Culla with a snug fit. The hassle of putting it up inside a standard-sized campervan (approx 5m in length) probably outweighs bringing along a few extra blankets in this particular van size or getting an insulated campervan roof topper.
Who is the Crua Culla aimed at?
Embracing the chill of the British outdoors doesn’t mean sacrificing comfort, thanks to the innovation of the Crua Culla insulated tent. These insulated shelters are engineered to provide a barrier against the often unpredictable UK weather, ensuring that campers remain warm and toasty even when temperatures outside plummet. The added layer of insulation not only retains heat but also helps to dampen the sounds of nature, allowing for a peaceful night’s rest.
Family campers – YES
Camping as a family creates lasting memories, but inclement weather or noisy sites can cut the fun short. Thankfully, insulated tents provide a quiet, cosy retreat to warmly snooze no matter the conditions, letting parents recharge while energetic early risers play.
Backpacking – NO
In our opinion, the Crua Culla is too heavy and bulky for most backpackers. Having the right transport to get near to where you are going to pitch up or at least having a trolly if you have a distance to go between the car and pitch to aid with moving the Culla to its final resting place I think is necessary. You can of course take it backpacking if you have the determination but at 7kg it’s a hefty weight to be lugging around for much of a distance.
Festivals – YES
Festivals can be an exhilarating experience, and having a comfortable place to retreat enhances the enjoyment. The Crua Culla insulated tent, with its quick and easy setup, is perfect for festival-goers who want to maximize their time enjoying the festivities. The tent’s sound-dampening and light-blocking features provide a tranquil space to recharge, ensuring you’re ready for the next day’s events.
Beach tent – YES
The insulated Crua Culla tent makes an ideal beach sun shelter when pegged or weighed down on dry sand. We suggest durable sandbags tied to the corners to withstand breezy gusts. Its insulated layered fabric helps block cooling winds and harsh rays from filtering through. Simply lay towels inside to keep sand and saltwater from seeping into the luxurious interior.
Romantic couples – A big fat YES
Designed for two, the Crua Culla tent’s indulgent silky interior beckons you to sink into its plush embrace. Cuddle close with your sweetheart, cocooned in insulating comfort, the outside world hushed to a whisper. No distractions, just the luxury of time alone together in this intimate haven built for two.
Maintenance Tips for Insulated Tents
- To keep your insulated tent in tip-top condition, regular maintenance is essential.
- Remove any debris, mud or dust from the tent using a very soft brush so as not to damage the material.
- Use cold water and a towel or cloth to get rid of any remaining dirt.
- Check for any damage to the insulation and repair promptly to maintain its effectiveness. Proper care will not only extend the life of your tent but also ensure that it remains a reliable refuge against the elements.
- Always ensure the tent is completely dry before storing to prevent mildew.
Warranty and After-Sales Service Information
Investing in a Crua Culla insulated tent comes with the assurance of a robust 2 year warranty and after-sales support. Crua in the UK offers a standard 2 year warranty period, covering defects in materials and workmanship. They will either repair or replace the product. After-sales service is also a cornerstone, with customer care teams ready to assist with any queries or issues post-purchase. For complete peace of mind, ensure you understand the warranty and support options available for your insulated tent.
Price Guide for Top Insulated Tent Models
The cost of insulated tents can vary widely based on size, brand, and features. Top models like those from Crua are priced to reflect their advanced insulation technologies and superior construction. While they may come at a premium, the investment ensures a high-quality shelter that provides comfort and durability, making it a worthwhile consideration for serious campers.
Conclusion: Final Thoughts on the Crua Culla Insulated Tent
I was very impressed by the cozy luxury of the Crua Culla’s smooth interior fabric that beckoned me inside. Once zipped up, the tent blocked light effectively for sound sleeping. While tiny ceiling vents could bother some folk on bright days, I appreciated the additional airflow preventing condensation and cooling the space on hot mornings. With a straightforward setup, a roomy interior, quality construction from durable fabrics, handy fly screens and cross ventilation, Crua designed a well-conceived insulated tent that enhanced my camping comfort. I can’t wait to take this homey haven on my next adventure!
Before committing to a Crua Culla insulated tent purchase, consider the size and portability factors that will impact your camping experience. The Crua Culla is heavier and bulkier than a normal non-insulated counterpart, so think about your transport options and the nature of your camping trips. Ensure that the tent’s size is appropriate for the number and size of occupants and that you’re able to carry it to your destination with relative ease.
In conclusion, the right insulated tent can transform your camping experience, offering a comfortable refuge in various weather conditions. Brands like Crua have set a high standard with tents equipped with CruaBreathe™ Technology, which maintains a pleasant interior climate. With the right selection, campers can enjoy the tranquillity of nature without compromising comfort, ensuring that each adventure is memorable for all the right reasons.
The Crua Culla excels in livability and quality, inviting campers into its cozy, well-conceived space. Straightforward setup meets versatile ventilation and dark, quilted comfort. Durable fabrics lend luxury while maximizing function across conditions. Well-designed through and through, this insulated tent enhances camping experience with its practical comforts.
FAQs
Is the Crua Culla waterproof?
No, the Crua Culla is not waterproof so should be only used on very dry days on dry ground or used with the Crua Duo or another waterproof outer tent.
Can the Crua Culla be used on its own without the Crua Duo tent?
Yes, the Culla can stand up all on its own so can be used with any other outer waterproof tent that it can fit nicely into without touching the sides.
Can a Crua Culla be used inside other tents?
Absolutely yes, the airbeam technology allows the Culla to stand upright with no additional support. This means it can be used in tents, awnings and even larger campervans.
How quick is the Crua Culla to set up?
The Culla is very quick to set up. There is only one inflation point so to pump up it is around one minute.
Can the Culla reduce campsite noise?
The Culla dampens the noise from outside.
Is the Culla a complete blackout tent?
The Culla tent uses dark fabric to aid sleeping during daylight. A very small amount of light can infiltrate through ventilation slits at the top that prevents condensation but overall the tent balances ventilation and darkness fairly well.
How much ventilation is there in the Culla?
Does the Crua Culla have a fly screen?
Yes, there is plenty of fly screen mesh to keep the insects out. Both doors can be fully mesh-covered allowing for the tent outer doors to be left open for extra ventilation.
Does the Crua Culla come with a pump?
No, the pump needs to be purchased separately. The valve on the Culla is a standard-sized inflatable tent valve so other tent pumps will more than likely fit. We tried Vango and Decathlon pumps successfully.